Wishaw boxer Iain Butcher has spoken of his growing frustration after his British Flyweight title eliminator fight against Luke Wilton was cancelled.

Baby Butch had been hoping to use the bout to become the mandatory challenger for the belt, setting up a rematch against current title holder Kevin Satchell, who handed Butcher his only defeat in controversial circumstances last July.

The current WBO European Flyweight Champion has repeatedly called for the rematch to be made but has faced resistance from the Satchell camp and was dealt a fresh blow earlier this week when Wilton’s people failed to sign on the dotted line to give the eliminator fight the green light.

The British Boxing Board of Control (BBBofC) don’t meet again until January, leaving Butcher to sweat over the Christmas and New Year period. In the meantime he may have to settle for fighting on his manager Paul Graham’s show at Ravenscraig on February 28 while his long-term future is sorted out.

But for now his frustrations continue.

He said: “Even when the fight was set we weren’t sure if it was ever going to go ahead – we always had the feeling in the back of our minds. We had previously asked for the fight and Wilton said no.

“I don’t think they believe they can beat me style-wise. They were ringside at the Satchell fight and saw what happened there. I am training just now but I want something to train for and at the minute I don’t have a clear head about what’s happening.

“I can’t get a fight in the UK just now, even flyweights ranked below me don’t want it either.”

It could be next summer before Butcher gets a chance to fight for more prestigious belts and, having fought just one round since his defeat to Satchell, he is worried about being rusty. But he is still determined to tempt his rival back into the ring.

Butcher said: “With Wilton it was a final eliminator and I should really have been installed as mandatory challenger. There is no one else in the division.

“Satchell was offered more money to fight here than he made at the Echo Arena. I know he’s a boxer and any boxer will take up the fight – that’s what we do – but I think it is politics. I think it’s his manager and trainers who don’t want the fight. Because of what happened the last time they aren’t keen.”

Butcher says he will keep working hard in the gym in case something comes up in the meantime, but also wants to use any potential European title to try and talk Satchell, who has just signed with new management, into boxing again.

He said: “Satchell hasn’t boxed at all since he met me. I feel as though the British title is just slipping away because of politics – they are keeping me out of the loop. I can go box for the European belt – that’s a bigger title and gives me something to bring that maybe Satchell would want. But the British title is a cracking belt and any boxer would dream of having it.

“I just wish I got the decision in Liverpool and got the title which would have allowed me to get my defences in early and progress my career. You don’t get long in the boxing game, with hard fights and the wear and tear on the body. It’s not a career you get 20 to 30 years at.”